Consumers want it all—and why shouldn’t they? We see consumers increasingly concerned with their food’s sourcing, nutritional value, convenience, quality, and flavor. As consumer demand for on-the-go, convenient food options rises, meat snacks are showing themselves to be a one-stop-shop solution, giving consumers everything they want out of their food products.

To gain insights into all things meat snacks, The National Provisioner consulted with the American Association of Meat Processors, Old Trapper and Chomps.

According to The Brainy Insights, meat snacks are performing well in North American due to rising demand for snacking products as well as healthy food offerings. With many brands focusing on clean-label, “better-for-you” meat snacks, the category is well-positioned to fulfill consumer demand.

The emphasis on clean-label, “better-for-you” meat snacks is known as “premiumization.” According to Straits Research, “The process through which producers make a product more desirable to consumers by stressing its greater quality and uniqueness is known as premiumization … Customers are more likely to purchase high-quality items or services when per capita income rises.”

Though many Americans are facing economic struggle, the success of the typically higher-priced “better-for-you” category emphasizes the strong consumer demand for healthy, clean-label protein products.

To successfully market meat snack products, producers can emphasize product quality. Family-owned Old Trapper embraces this form of marketing, ensuring they highlight the quality and transparency of their meat snacks. “This is a key part of our messaging - that our jerky and sticks include high-quality beef and ingredients, and we are transparent on exactly what is inside each bag,” said Robert Leary, chief marketing officer at Old Trapper.

Regarding flavor trends, AAMP Outreach Specialist Nelson Gaydos noted the popularity of “sweet and heat” offerings. He also recommended experimenting with unusual or ethnic flavors for meat snack products.

Stacey Hartnett, vice president of e-commerce and marketing for Chomps, shared her insights on current flavor trends for meat snacks. She said, “Generally speaking, bold and smoky flavors are trending; not limited to meat snacks but flavor fusion (ex. hot honey), nostalgic indulgence, and International Flavors.” As Hartnett noted, these flavor trends are hot across the board for protein products, emphasizing the enduring popularity of these flavors and combinations.

Though new and trending flavors can create market opportunities for meat snacks, consumers also value their tried-and-true original meat snack flavors. Family-owned meat snack company Old Trapper noted that their consumers enjoy the consistency of Old Trapper’s signature flavors, including Old Fashioned, Teriyaki, Peppered, and Hot & Spicy.

“The Old Fashioned flavor has always been trending and doesn't appear to be stopping,” Leary said. Old Trapper is a prime example of tradition over innovation—while new and exciting flavors can drive growth, sometimes, it’s good to stay true to what works.

Though jerky has dominated the meat snack market, snack sticks are on the rise. According to The Brainy Insights, “Sticks are forecasted to be the fastest-growing segment in the market. Owing to increasing preference towards chicken-based meat sticks in the market.”

It can be harder for smaller processors to compete with larger processors who may have more financial resources. For those smaller processors, Gaydos recommended focusing on quality over quantity. “Small batches provide the opportunity for experimentation with trends and limited-time offerings. I don't think the McRib would be as popular if it were available year-round.”

For processors of all sizes, Gaydos recommended experimenting with different kinds of meat snacks—fermented and/or acidified snack sticks, as well as refrigerated versus shelf-stable products.